Road Safety Improvement Discussions Welcome News for Truckies

January 2511:572018

Safety is a shared responsibility for all parties in the road transport supply chain.

On Monday January 22 The Herald reported that the NSW government is starting up communications with the Australian trucking industry. As announced on Monday, the new alliance will focus on road safety improvements. According to Road Freight NSW CEO Simon O’Hara, multi-vehicle crashes involving trucks have escalated over the last year and they need to know why.

Road Freight NSW, the peak industry organisation in NSW representing trucking operators, has welcomed the government’s willingness to investigate multi-vehicle crashes and claims that they are rarely the fault of the truck driver.

The state government will develop a truck safety strategy and revealed plans to collaborate with trucking corporations to gain the necessary knowledge and insight from within the industry itself.

The announcement follows the fatal crash on the M1 on January 15 involving three trucks and a car, where an ethanol carrier burst into flames at Cooranbong, causing the death of a male driver.

According to the article published on Monday in The Herald, Australian Trucking Association CEO Ben Maguire said that the government was now listening and his organisation had put forward a widespread plan to help improve road safety. They plan to meet again this week to explore truck technology that is available these days. He said that everyone involved in the discussions recognises that they also have to look into the cause of the increase in truck-related fatalities.

Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight Melinda Pavey reportedly stated that the issue of heavy vehicle safety is one that is being addressed nationally, and that all states are collaborating through forums such as the Transport and Infrastructure Council to address it. She also mentioned that safety is a shared responsibility for all parties in the road transport supply chain.

The Herald reports that stake holders such as the Livestock, Bulk and Rural Carriers Association (LBRCA) have been asked to contribute towards an increased understanding of the industry and the challenges it faces. Chief operating officer Bec Coleman said that safety-focused initiatives were nothing new to Minister Pavey, who had also been involved in initiatives such as increasing the number of roadside drug tests carried out and providing more funding to the NSW Crashlab to promote safer vehicles.

Independent transporting companies such as Freight Quote believe that discussions such as the ones recently announced can have a positive impact on the trucking industry. Matthew Roberts is responsible for Freight Quote’s operations. “Any measures taken that will ensure the safety of our drivers are always welcome. It’s great that the NSW government is taking a leading role in road safety improvements and that they are actively seeking knowledge from the industry itself.”

Roberts underlines the importance of freight companies now also giving their couriers opportunities to talk about the challenges they face while they are out on the road. “They’re the ones who are most at risk, they experience the dangers first hand, so they should also be included in these discussions. We all need to work together to address this issue and anyone who feels they can contribute towards safer roads should speak up.”